This invention relates to an exercise monitoring device which is particularly suited for use in physiotherapy. In particular the monitoring device of the invention is especially directed to "pressure biofeedback" which is to provide feedback to ensure safety, quality and precision in exercise performance and testing.
Hitherto difficulty has been experienced especially in regard to patients in relation to monitoring of patients during physiotherapy exercises to determine if the patient was carrying out the relevant exercises in the prescribed fashion. This was necessary to avoid muscle fatigue, back strain and pain and also to ascertain when the energy of the patient was weakening or when a rest was required. Monitoring of these remedial exercises was also necessary to ensure correct muscle action for example in retraining of the abdominal muscle function and also to ensure safety and precision of stretching techniques. Monitoring of these exercises was also necessary to achieve postural training and for checking stabilisation during exercises lumbar spine (for example stabilisation during lower limb exercise).
Such monitoring as described above has been largely carried out in the past by patient self assessment or by visual or manual assessment by the physictherapist and thus it was largely done on a qualitative rather than a quantitative basis. An electrical device known as an electromyograph which measured electrical activity of the muscles was used to some extent but is difficult to use in the clinic when monitoring many complex muscle actions.
Pressure actuated devices or sphygmomanometers are well known in relation to measurement of arterial blood pressure. These devices comprise a pressure bulb with suitable valves associated therewith, an elongate cuff usually having velcro attachments for fastening to an arm or leg and a pressure bag or bladder usually formed from resilient material retained within a retaining pocket in the elongate cuff. There was also provided an air hose connecting the bulb with the bladder and another air hose connecting the bladder with a suitable metering device. Metering devices normally included an analogue meter (eg mercury manometer or aneroid dial) or digital read out device.
However such sphygmomanometers were not suitable for use as an exercise monitoring device as they were solely directed to measurement of arterial blood pressure.
It therefore is an object of the invention to provide an exercise monitoring device which is suitable in monitoring of physiotherapy exercises which is quantitative in nature.